Pavement laying apparatus



g- 1965 A. M. REES, JR

PAVEMENT LAYING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1961 INVENT ORATTORNEYS 0, 1965 A. M. REES, JR 3,199,422

PAVEMENT LAYING APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORAndrewMRaesJn 0, 1965 A. M. REES, JR 3,199,422

PAVEMENT LAYING APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F .54.;4%0 g '50 15 i f2 1 g6 INVENTOR A AndrawMRec-s, Jr:

50 I BY/gwwfg ATTORNEYS 10, 1965 A. M. REES, JR 3,199,422

PAVEMENT LAYING APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORAndrM Rees, J1".

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,199,422 PAVEMENT LAYING APPARATUSAndrew M. Rees, In, 158 E. 4th St., New Castle, Del. Filed Inna 15,1961, Ser. No. 117,329 2 Claims. (CI. 94-22) This invention relates toan apparatus for laying pavements made of masonry units, and it moreparticularly relates to such an apparatus for laying these pavements inpredetermined patterns.

The old fashioned brick pavement or sidewalk has been currentlysupplanted by the poured concrete type primarily because of therelatively greater amount of labor time and expense that laying a brickpavement requires. However, a concrete pavement is less attractive thanone of brick or other masonry units; and this is particularly true withrespect to pavements use-d for terraces and patios in yard and gardenseating areas. A major portion of the expense involved in laying apatterned brick pavement is the time required in figuring out andassembling the bricks or blocks in the desired pattern.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus foreconomically and dependably laying a patterned pavement of masonryunits.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus for laying brickpavements.

In accordance with this invention a pair of rails having tracks uponupper surfaces are installed level and parallel to each other apredetermined distance apart over a prepared bed upon which the pavementis to be layed. The rails are conveniently spaced apart upon postsextending downwardly into the ground by assem: bly with aggregate andmortar level rods whose shoes are assembled within the tracks ofopposite rails.

These level rods are then swept over the bed along the tracks todetermine the height of the dry aggregate and cement mortar fills placedwithin the bed. Then a patterned grating is supported upon the tracks,and bricks are deposited within the apertures in the grating toautomatically assemble them in the predetermined pattern provided bythese apertures. The upper level of the pavement is determined bytapping the bricks into the cement mortar bed until their upper surfacesare flush with the top of the grating which causes the cement mortar torise part of the way up between them and levels the tops of the bricksto form a flat surface for the pavement. After the grating is lifted,the unfilled tops of the joints between the bricks may be convenientlyfilled by the use of a joint filling box having a slot which correspondsto the width of the subdividing bars of the grading and accordingly tothe spaces between the bricks. After one section of the pattern is setin the aforementioned manner, succeeding sections are similarly setusing one side of a completed section for a track surface to guide oneend of the aggregate and mortar level bars as previously described.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whereinsimilar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rails of one embodiment of thisinvention;

FIG. 1A is an end view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rails in FIG. 1 in conjunction withaggregate and mortar level rods;

FIG. 2A is an end view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the aggregate level and rails of FIG. 2in one phase of use; FIG. 3A is an end view thereof;

'FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rails and mortar level rod in asimilar phase of use;

FIG. 4A is an end view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pattern grating supported upon a pairof rails;

FIG. 5A is an end view of the grating shown in FIG. 5 being used forguiding the assembly and installation of bricks;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the grating of FIG. 5 being removed froman assembled array of bricks;

FIG. 6A is an end view of the arrangement as shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one rail and the ag-v gregate levelbeing used for preparing a succeeding section of bricks;

FIG. 7A is a side view in elevation of the arrangement shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 7B is a side view in elevation o-fthe manner in which the patternedgrating is supported in assembling a succeeding section of pavement; and

FIG. 7C is a perspective view of a joint filling box being used forfilling joints in an assembled section of pavement.

In FIGS. 1, 1A and 2 and 2A are shown a pair of guide rails 10, whichare set above a prepared portion of the ground level and parallel toeach other upon posts 12 extending downwardly from rails 10 and attachedto them by means of straps 14. A carpenters level 16 is used forleveling the rails, and they are set above excavated .bed 18 with tracks20 maintained a predetermined distance spaced parallel from each otherby resting aggregate level and mortar level rods 22 and 24 upon rails 10with their shoes 26 slidably inserted within tracks :20. Bed 18 isexcavated to a depth sufiicient to receive the aggregate and cementdeposits in a manner later described in detail.

Aggregate level and mortar level rods 22 and 24 are generally similar inform; and as shown in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A, have a shoe 26 at oneend, which is flush with this end, and another shoe 26 at the other end,which is spaced within an overhanging lip 28. Overhanging lip 28 is notused until after one section of pavement has been set as described inFIG. 7 and succeeding figures.

In FIG. 3 is shown aggregate level rod 24 being moved across tracks 20to have its bottom edge 30 sweep the surface of a dry aggregate bed 32,which has been deposited into excavation bed 18. The dry aggregate 32is,

for example, made of roughly three inch gravel stones, 1

or used brick bats, or used concrete chips. The amount of dry aggregatedeposited is roughly equal to that required, and a sweep of aggregatelevel 22 across bed 32 automatically adjusts its surface to its requiredheight as shown in FIG. 3A.

In FIGS. 4 and 4A mortar level rod 24 is swept across the surface of anapproximately predetermined quantity of cement mortar 34 deposited overaggregate bed 32. The bottom edge 36 of mortar level rod 24 is apredetermined distance higher than the bottom edge 3il, of aggregatelevel rod 22 to provide the necessary space for cement mortar deposit34.

In FIG. 5 a patterned grating 38 is supported above cement bed 34 withits sides resting in tracks 20. Patterned grating 38 is subdivided bybars 40 onto an arrangement of apertures 42 for receiving bricks 44 in apredetermined pattern. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A, bricks 44 are tappedthrough apertures 42 until their upper surfaces 46 are flush with thetop surface 48 of grating 38. When Patented Aug. 1%), I965 it this isdone, cement mortar 34 is displaced upwardly ap proximately half-way upbetween bricks 44 to provide the lower half 50 of a cement mortar jointbetween bricks 44.

As shown in FIG. 6 and 6A, grating 38 is then carefully lifted straightup from assembled bricks 44 by a lifting arrangements utilizing handle52 whose ends are connected to the sides of "rating 38 by a pair ofinverted V-shaped chains 54. Handle 52 permits two men standing atopposite sides of grating 38 to easily lift it up and away from thepattern of bricks that it has guided into position.

In FIG. 7C mortar box 56 having a slot 58 in the bottom of its trough 60is being used for topping oif joints 62 between bricks 44. Slot 58 isapproximately equal to the width of subdividing bars 48 of grating 38,and correspondingly to the spaces 64 between assembled bricks 44. Itaccordingly facilitates the insertion of mortar 66 into the upperportion of spaces 64 to provide remarkably cleanly filled joints betweenbricks 44 and helps avoid unsightly mortar discoloration and means uponthe tops of bricks 44. The length of slot 58 is, for example, equal tothe length of one brick, but it may be varied for convenience inparticular installations.

In FIG. 7 is shown the manner in which this apparatus is used for layinga succeeding section of pavement adjacent original section 68 preparedin the manner previously described. In FIG. 7 is accordingly shown arail 10 which has been set above bed 18a a predetermined distance awayfrom and parallel to the adjacent side 70 of original section 68, whichis subsequently used for a track surface in conjunction with overhanginglip 28 of aggregate and mortar level rod 22 and 24. The outside endsurface 72 of shoe 26 adjacent lip 28 is accordingly used for settingthe distance between rail 18 and guide surface 78 of section 68. Afterrail 10'is set in a manner described in FIG. 7, dry aggregate bed 32 andcement mortar bed 34 are then deposited and surfaced in the mannerpreviously described utilizing aggregate and mortar rods 22 and 24.

Then, as shown in FIG. 73, one side of grating 38 is supported in themanner previously described upon track of rail 18 and the other sideadjacent pavement section 68 is supported upon a short post '74- driveninto the ground. Bricks 44a (not shown) are then assembled withingrating 38 in the manner previously described, and after grating 38 islifted, the joints between the assembled bricks 44a are filled as shownin FIG. 7C by use of joint filling box 56.

, Although the apparatus is herein described for use with ordinarypaving bricks, it can also be used with any type of paving unit which isshaped to fit the apertures in a grating. Gratings can, therefore, beprovided for practically any shape of paving unit such as: speciallyshaped bricks, fiagstones or ornamental blocks. Furthermore, the bedswithin which the paving units are set may be of various typesconstruction other than that described, such as an ordinary sand bed. Asand bed is of course not as durable as the described dry aggregate andcement mortar filled bed.

This apparatus speeds up the process of patterned pavement setting tosuch an extent that it becomes competitive with ordinary pouredconcrete. Although it is not as economical as poured concrete, itsslight additional expense is more than rewarded by its attractivelypatterned appearance. The relative economy of this apparatus towardother apparatus for the same process increases as the pattern becomesmore complex. Extremelycomplex patterns, such as the described mosaictype, may accordingly be layed witha minimum of expense.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of laying paving units on the ground in a pattern in acement mortar bed with the aid of a level rod and a patterned gratingresting upon a pair of guide rails which comprises the steps ofpositioning and leveling said guide rails upon said ground a distanceapart for supporting said level rod and said patterned grating betweenthem, depositing said cement mortar bed upon said ground between saidrails, determining the upper surface limit of said cement mortar bed byresting said level rod upon and between said rails and moving it acrossthe space between them for striking off the upper surface of said cementmortar bed to said upper surface limit, positioning said grating uponand between said guide rails to dispose it at a predetermined height andhorizontal position for guiding insertion of said paving units into saidcement mortar, the lower surface of said grating being disposed asubstantial distance above said determined upper surface limit of saidcement mortar to permit said cement mortar to freely rise toward saidgrating and around said paving units when they are inserted through saidgrating into said cement mortar, inserting said paving units throughsaid grating into said cement mortar bed, and aligning the top surfacesof said paving units with the upper surface of. said patterned gratingwhereby they are disposed in a fiat surface and immersed to apredetermined depth in said cement mortar to provide a substantialuniform joint between said paving units and said cement mortar.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein an aggre- References Citedby the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 413,846 10/89 Chambers 94-451,291,544 1/19 Keenan 94-95 1,524,728 2/25 Busch 94-45 1,838,635 12/31Pilj 50-508 2,184,906 12/39 Buhrrnann 94-47 2,551,826 5/51 Cox 50-5082,807,070 9/57 Thomas 25-123 2,956,486 10/60 Siegle 94-44 JACGB L,NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF LAYING PAVING UNITS ON THE GROUND IN A PATTERN IN ACEMENT MOTAR BED WITH THE AID OF A LEVEL ROD AND A PATTERNED GRATINGRESTING UPON A PAIR OF UPON RAILS WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OFPOSITIONING AND LEVELING SAID GUIDE RAILS UPON SAID GROUND A DISTANCEAPART FOR SUPPORTING SAID LEVEL ROD AND SAID PATTERNED GRATING BETWEENTHEM, DISPOSITING SAID CEMENT MORTAR BED UPON SAID GROUND BETWEEN SAIDRAILS, DETERMINING THE UPPER SURFACE LIMIT OF SAID SEMENT MORTOR BED BYRESTING SAID LEVEL ROD UPON AND BETWEEN SAID RAILS AND MOVINGL IT ACROSSTHE SPACE BETWEEN THEM FOR STRIKING OFF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID CEMENTMORTAR BED TO SAID UPPER SURFACE LIMIT, POSITIONING SAID GRATING UPONAND BETWEEN SAID GUIDE RAILS TO DISPOSE IT AT A PREDETERMINED HEIGHT ANDHORIZONTAL POSITIN FOR GUIDING INSERTION OF SAID PAVING UNITS INTO SAIDCEMENT MORTAR, THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID GRATING BEING DISPOSED ASUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOUT SAID DETERMINED UPPER SURFACE LIMIT OF SAIDCEMENT MORTAR TO PERMIT SAID CEMENT MORTAR TO FREELY RISE TOWARD SAIDGRATING AND AROUND SAID PAVING UNITS WHEN THEY ARE INSERTED THROUGH SAIDGRATING INTO SAID CEMENT MORTAR, INSERTING SAID PAVING UNITS THROUGHSAID GRATING INTO SAID CEMENT MORTAR BED, AND ALIGNING THE TOP SURFACESOF SAID PAVING UNITS WITH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PATTERNED GRATINGWHEREBY THEY ARE DISPOSED IN A FLAT SURFACE AND IMMERSED TO APREDETERMINED DEPTH IN SAID CEMENT MORTAR TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALUNIFORM JOINT BETWEEN SAID PAVING UNITS AND SAID CEMENT MORTAR.